Sam Hunt Racing announces major news for its NASCAR operation concerning Harrison Burton

Harrison Burton is set to join Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) full-time with Dean Thompson in 2026. The 25-year-old will drive the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra in the rebranded NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Burton moved to the Xfinity Series with AM Racing this season after three full-time seasons in the Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing. He locked into the Xfinity Playoffs after finishing among the top contenders in points.

SHR announced the expansion to two full-time entries during a press conference on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. The team fields one full-time entry, No. 26, in the Xfinity Series with Thompson, who will return in 2026. The No. 24 entry currently runs part-time.

Veteran NASCAR journalist Claire B Lang wrote about the same in a post on X:

"Sam Hunt - [Sam Hunt Racing] on Podium here [Martinsville] - Announces 2026 drivers as [Harrison Burton] and Dean Thompson."

Burton has four Xfinity career wins. This year, he has collected ten top-10 finishes in 31 races. He also earned his first Cup Series win last season at Daytona International Speedway.

"It's just a great fit. I'm super, super excited, couldn't be more excited to join this group. For me, it kind of what feels like going back home to our friends at Toyota," Harrison Burton said in a statement (via NBC Sports).

Meanwhile, Thompson, who is in his rookie Xfinity season, scored his first stage win at Rockingham Speedway, which was also the team's first stage win. He also notched SHR's first top-5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and scored six other top-10 finishes this year.

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Sam Hunt Racing owner on creating a 'competitive environment' and shot at NASCAR playoffs in 2026

Sam Hunt Racing competed in the ARCA East (formerly K&N) series and then entered the national Xfinity Series in late 2019 with driver Colin Garrett.

Team owner Sam Hunt founded the team in 2013, after leaving a stable career in finance behind. He talked about the satisfaction in seeing his team grow on the track and welcomed Harrison Burton to SHR's lineup during the announcement.

"It's extremely fulfilling for me to not only see SHR's on-track growth. ... We have created a competitive environment that attracts good people, and I believe the human element is the most important component to building a successful race team," Sam Hunt said (via Speedway Digest).

Sam Hunt Racing's part-time driver lineup for the No. 24 has included Corey Heim, Ryan Truex, and Christopher Bell this season. Tyler Reddick has also raced part-time for the team in earlier seasons.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar